


More Wit, A Better Kiss

by teenuviel1227



Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance, actor!Jae, but also kinda hot, cute kissing, screenwriter!Brian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 09:03:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16658164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teenuviel1227/pseuds/teenuviel1227





	More Wit, A Better Kiss

**Author's Note:**

  * For [antijosh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/antijosh/gifts).



“ _ Jae  _ Park?” Brian asks in disbelief, sitting up in his seat, his coffee cup making a loud noise as he puts it down on the table in the glass-paneled conference room. “God. You’ve had your crazy moments, Pirrie, but this takes the goddamn cake. You want me to cast a  _ straight  _ guy in a gay role? You can’t be serious--”

“--oh come on,” Wonpil says, rolling his eyes as he hits a button on the remote to the LED TV. “If we’re worried about representation, Sungjin’s gay and he’s the other male lead. Plus all the other major parts, especially the queer ones, are being played by queer actors which is awesome and I don’t want to get a straight guy to play another gay role but we need it for the marketing. I mean. Come on, Bri.  _ Look  _ at him. God. That voice, those eyes, the way his mouth quivers when he’s about to cry--he’s hot, he’s talented, he’s on-trend but not obnoxious, indie-on-the-cusp-of-Oscar-fame, everyone loves him. The timing’s right--plus we have a limited window of time before he hits the mainstream big time. He’s in the running for the Spiderman reboot, which I’m 99.8% sure he’s going to get, the 0.02% doubt only coming from the fact that Hollywood can still be racist. And after that, there’s no telling how long it’ll be before he’ll be free to do a small film like this again. And more importantly, willing to do the movie pro-bono.”

“Oh, well if he’s  _ willing _ to do the movie pro-bono,” Brian says, rolling his eyes. “And excuse me for making “small films” but what  _ are  _ we? Beggars? Who asked him to do it pro-bono anyway? ‘Cause we can pay him--oh god, did he volunteer? Because of all of the condescending things that I’ve heard from actors, this has  _ got  _ to be the biggest thing. Am I not Brian Kang, multi-awarded screenwriter and director--”

“--yeah but--” 

“--and aren’t you Kim Wonpil, biggest producer behind I Just, Hunt, and Man In A Movie--” 

“--of course, but Brian--” 

“--I thought this was the biggest studio in Korea. Has that changed or--”

“--do you know why actors get famous and are remembered in history while people behind the scenes like you and me are condemned to the Wikipedia pages on esoterics of film?” Wonpil cuts Brian off, an eyebrow raised.

Brian sighs, exasperated. “No, but I suppose you’ll tell me.”

“Because a good puppeteer knows that the show is all about the marionettes.” Wonpil says, crossing his arms and shifting his weight onto one leg. He grins, the upper-left corner of his mouth lilting upwards. “You never let the strings show. The minute you start thinking it’s about  _ you _ , then it’s all over. So I don’t care how many of your films make it to the Oscars, Jae has the prerogative to choose because he is the marionette that this show needs. Kapish?”

Brian frowns, knowing from the way that Wonpil’s jaw is set that that’s that. He sighs, watching Jae’s reel. 

On the screen: a clip from an indie movie Jae did last summer where he’s a young CEO who gets burnt out and trades in city life for a beach in the South of the Philippines where he falls in love with a young woman whose family owns the local surf station, a clip from a romantic comedy where Jae plays a bookshop owner who falls in love with a famous Hollywood actress, a clip from a psychological thriller where Jae plays a male ballerina who is haunted by his drive and need for success, a clip from a slow-burn horror film where Jae plays the son who is hunted by a sleep demon and who defeats the demon by facing his deepest, darkest fears. 

Brian chews on his lower lip. Not that he’ll ever admit it to Wonpil, but he sees why Wonpil thinks that Jae’s perfect for the role. The film they’re making is called Sing Me about a rookie singer who’s struggling to make it in the mainstream in the late 60s whilst struggling with the fact that he’s gay and that all of the record labels that are interested in him want to market him in the way of the early Beatles: a pretty boy in a blazer and tie wearing his heart on his sleeve. It doesn’t take much to see how Jae would look good playing a part like that: he could do gentle and vulnerable, romantic and brooding, volatile and on the cusp of madness. Plus, there’s the way that he looks. There’s something androgynous about him, something both very masculine and undeniably feminine in his demeanor and it’s haunting--both familiar and strange. 

When the reel stops playing, pausing on Jae’s face grinning into the camera--a still from one of his first films where he played a young man who goes home to his parents’ house for the first time in years after his dad passes away and ends up falling in love with a local musician who, unbeknownst to him, is also his childhood friend who saved him from drowning. His hair is dark in this one, loosely pushed back with a few strands falling gracefully into his eyes. He’s bespectacled and dressed in loose blue flannel being ruffled by the breeze. 

Brian sighs. 

Wonpil grins, knowing from the look on Brian’s face that he’s won. Wonpil turns the TV off, gathering his papers into his black leather file case and clicking the lock in place.

“I’ll draw up the contracts.”

  
  


Brian  _ wishes _ that he didn’t find Jae Park attractive, wishes he didn’t find himself enraptured and captivated by, well, everything about him: his hoarse laugh, his crescent-moon smiling eyes, his actual smile, his big but graceful hands, his singing voice (the test run for the musical tracks had  _ floored _ Brian). There’s something iridescent about Jae in person, something fascinating that the camera just doesn’t seem to do justice--not that he’d ever let anyone, especially not Wonpil, know.

“Alright,” Dowoon, one of his bestfriends and his Director of Photography for this project says, peering into the monitor and tweaking one of the settings before flashing Brian a thumbs up. “We’re ready when you are, Bri.”

Brian nods, looks out onto the set--they’re in the Italian countryside and Jae and his co-star, Sungjin, are sitting by the pool, their legs dangling in the water. Brian feels his heart skip a beat as he watches Jae, his hair dyed honey-brown for the movie and dressed in a pale blue polo shirt unbuttoned all the way showing off the porcelain skin of Jae’s torso which disappears into a pair of vintage red sports shorts that showcase his long legs. Jae looks at him, holding a hand up to shield himself from the glare of the sunshine before flashing him ag rin. 

Brian grins back despite himself and thanks his lucky stars Wonpil doesn’t fly in to check out what they’ve done so far until the next day. 

Jae steps out of the pool, his wet shins glistening in the late morning sun. 

_ Fuck fuck fuck.  _

“Hey, Bri,” Jae says. “I’ve kind of got a question.”

“Kind of?” Brian repeats. “How do you  _ kind of  _ have a question?”

Jae laughs, runs a hand through his hair. 

“Well. I mean, it’s a question but it’s a little bit stupid.” 

“Well ask it now before we start shooting.” Brian says, trying not to dwell on the way that Jae bites his lower lip. 

_ He’s straight, Brian you idiot. He’s straight, he’s straight.  _

Jae leans in, his Adam’s apple moving in the pale hollow of his throat as he gulps, pausing before he speaks. Brian feels a bead of sweat trickle down his back. 

“I’m a little bit nervous.”

Brian blinks.

“That’s not a question.”

Jae lets out a small laugh. “I mean--I’ve never kissed a guy on camera before. And I was wondering if you’d have any tips for me?”

Brian feels his cheeks heat up. 

“Tips on kissing?”

Jae shrugs. “Well. Yeah. Kissing on camera, anyway. I mean--oh god, I don’t know how to say this, I feel like I should’ve told you earlier but there wasn’t time and I wasn’t sure if I could trust you and I mean now I know that I can, but I was just nervous and oh god now I’m not sure if--”

“--Jae,” Brian says, putting both hands on Jae’s shoulders. Jae meets his eye. Brian smiles. “Relax. Now, I know it’s hard for people to talk about things that they’re unsure of, but I’m your director--I wrote this script, if we’re going to make this movie, then you’re going to have to be honest with me. Your secret dies with me. I promise. Now, let me help.”

Jae nods, pausing before leaning in to whisper into Brian’s ear. Brian’s heart skips a beat at the feeling of air from Jae’s lips grazing his earlobe. 

“I’m gay.” Jae says softly. “And--I took this role because I wanted to be honest, in some way, with myself, with the world, even if they wouldn’t know I was being honest. But I’m scared--what if it comes off too--comfortable?”

Jae pulls away.

Brian blinks. 

_ He’s not straight.  _

Jae grins. “Sorry for not telling you about this earlier.” 

Brian nods slowly. 

“It’s alright, I understand. Just--think of everything as a performance, alright? This isn’t  _ you _ , Jae Park. This is you, Kim Jinyoung aka Jack Kim aka a young man falling in love for the first time.”

Jae takes a deep breath, nods. “Alright. Okay, alright.” 

Brian nods. “You got this.” 

Jae grins, pulls Brian into a tight hug. Brian feels like his heart is going to claw its way out of his chest. 

“Thanks, Bri. I mean it.” 

“Gotchu.” 

  
  


“Everything so far is fine but there’s something’s off with this scene,” Wonpil says, shaking his head as Brian hits rewind and then playback on his dailies reel. 

“Where?”

“Stop--okay, right there--”

Brian hits stop. On the screen is the scene that they shot earlier that day: Jae and Sungjin are by the pool, both of them caught in the moment right before the kiss. Sungjin’s smiling, eyes half-shut, watching Jae’s lips as they come closer. But Jae’s mouth is tense, his glance turned somewhere off-camera.

“--see?” Wonpil asks, putting his hands on his hips. “Sungjin’s giving it everything he’s got but Jae’s looking off-camera at something.” 

“Oh.” Brian feels his cheeks heat up as he realizes Jae’s looking in the direction of where he’d been sitting, where he’d been monitoring the scene. 

Wonpil checks something on his phone, sighs. 

“We can adjust the budget to re-shoot this again tomorrow but we’re going to have to get it right, alright? I know you don’t like him but--” 

“--who says I don’t like him,” Brian says.

“Oh  _ come on _ ,” Wonpil says, rolling his eyes. “Do the words  _ of all of the condescending things that I’ve heard from actors, this has got to be the biggest thing _ mean anything to you? Ring any bells?” 

“Fine,” Brian relents. “Fine. I misjudged him. Anyway. Get the budget done, I’ll handle him.”

“Handle him,” Wonpil repeats before a slow grin spreads across his face. “Oh, I get it.”

“What do you mean get it?” 

“You’ve got a cruuuuuuush,” Wonpil says, doubling over in laughter. “God. This is too funny--”

“--I’m glad my emotional distress is entertaining for you,” Brian says, rolling his eyes. 

“Always.” Wonpil grins, clapping Brian on the shoulder. “I mean. We’ve made a career of your distress, Bri. Now, go flirt with your crush and turn your stress into something productive.”

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

  
  


“Hey.” Brian finds Jae nursing a cocktail on the balcony of the hotel dining room. He’s sipping it slowly while looking out at the evening breeze blowing through the trees of the Italian countryside. His eyebrows are furrowed. He’s chewing on his lip in that way that Brian’s come to learn means he’s nervous about something. “You alright?” 

“Oh. Hey, Bri,” Jae says. “Well--yes? Or no? I’m not sure?”

“Tell me.” Brian takes a swig from his beer before setting it down on the balustrade.

“Well,” Jae says, shrugging. “You came from the dailies right? I heard Dowoon talking about it with Sungjin. The pool scene sucks. God. How am I supposed to do this if that first kissing scene sucks? If I suck?” 

“You don’t suck,” Brian says. “You were just a bit tense and it’s understandable. I’d be tense too.”

“Yeah but you don’t kiss in front of a camera for a living.” 

“Touche.” Brian grins. “But it’s my job to make sure you kiss well in front of a camera for a living. So. You gotta talk to me. What about it’s making you so nervous? Aside from what you said earlier?” 

“I--” Jae starts. “--alright, I’m not sure if I should be telling you this.”

Brian shrugs. “It’s  _ me _ . If anyone has a right to judge anyone, trust me that anyone is definitely anyone but me.” 

“Fine.” Jae says. “I kind of want you to approve.”

“To approve?” Brian repeats, confused.

“I’m a huge fan of your work,” Jae says, his voice growing softer, fond. “Like. Real huge. Part of why I got in contact with Wonpil. It was on my checklist of things to do in this life. Play Spiderman, check. Be in a Kang Younghyun film, check. So if you don’t like how I kiss on-camera it’ll break me.”

“Oh, Jae,” Brian says, reaching out to ruffle Jae’s hair. “You’re crazy.” 

Jae shrugs, grinning. “I guess I am. You don’t think I’m stupid, do you?”

“Of course not,” Brian says. “What can I do to make it better?”

Jae sighs. “I’m not sure, really. Maybe Sungjin and I could rehearse tomorrow? And you could tell me what you think?” 

Brian feels a pang of jealousy. “Yeah. I’m not sure how Sungjin might take that. You know how he can be. He’ll think there’s something wrong with him and perfect the hell out of the french kiss and no offense, I don’t really feel like watching you two kiss anymore than I have to.”

Jae lets out a small laugh, putting his cocktail glass down beside Brian’s beer. “You’re right. It was a dumb idea.” 

“I mean. Well. You could kiss me,” Brian says, suddenly aware of how red his cheeks are. “And I could tell you it was wonderful and then no matter what happens on-screen, you would know that I approve.” 

Jae blinks once, twice, his cheeks suddenly crimson. “I mean--yeah, I mean--I guess that’d work. I mean--okay, let’s do it.” 

Brian grins, suddenly shy. “Okay, then. I guess you could put your arms on my shoulders.”

Jae follows suit. “Like that?”

Brian nods. “And I could pull you in by the waist?”

Jae nods, his voice breathless. “Please--” 

Brian pulls Jae in by the waist until their noses are so close they’re almost touching, until they can feel each other’s breath on their lips when the other speaks. Brian puts a hand on Jae’s nape, glancing up to rub his nose softly against Jae’s. 

“--I’m going to kiss you now.” 

Jae nods. “Okay--”

Their lips meet in a kiss that’s tender, but wanting, Brian softly sucking on Jae’s lower lip, Jae letting him in as Brian licks soft and slow into his mouth. By the time they pull away, both of them are breathless, both of them quiet, trying to hold onto the moment for a moment longer. 

“Please tell me it was good for you too,” Jae says softly, leaning his forehead against Brian’s.

“It was fucking amazing.”


End file.
